SOKOTO: DRAMA, INTRIGUES IN OPPOSITION CHALLENGE TO WAMAKKO

By NBF News

•Wammakko
Ahead of the governorship primary poll, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Sokoto State now has a lot to contend with to maintain its grip on the state before the scheduled date of, March 10, 2012. TUNDE OMOLEHIN writes on the intrigues, involving two of the contenders.

With less than four months to the governorship poll, only the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state is sustaining the political tempo toward the much-talked about poll in the state, while main opposition parties like Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), All Nigerian People Part (ANPP) and Congress for Progress Change (CPC), are still gripping feet to stand in the mainstream politics of the state.

In fact, since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduled the march 10, 2012 governorship election in the state, it is no longer news that two political gladiators and stalwarts from the ruling PDP have dominated the governorship scene and rumbling to clinch the party's ticket.

On one hand, loyalists of the incumbent governor, Alhaji Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko, who was elected on the platform of the party in the 2007 general elections want a second term ticket at all cost. Not only that, his main challenger and onetime political ally, Senator Abubakar Umar Gada believes that there is need for outright change in the state politics.

This political tango between the two influential politicians has given the party (PDP) much heat.

Some political analysts reason that both have strong political structures that could be deployed to achieve their objectives. The combination of their strengths becomes a potent force that could rattle the party in the March 10, 2012 governorship election.

'We have confidence in both candidates to fly our flag ticket for the governorship, because, Wamakko is an incumbent while Gada has the structure to appeal to the grassroots electorate during the forthcoming governorship poll in the state. So, anyone that can pick the ticket will be acceptable by all party members.' Alhaji Salame Isa, a party stalwart in Isa local government told Daily Sun.

With this development, there are now disaffections among some high ranking members of the ruling PDP over who to cede the party ticket to even with spates of endorsements for their preferred candidates which is now the order of the day.

Interestingly, the first declaration of such support was pronounced by the North West Vice Chairman of the party, Ambassador Ibrahim Kazaure during a visit to the state where he reiterated the national leadership of the party's resolution to adopt Wamakko as its sole candidate ahead of the party's primary election.

Even though, Kazaure's statement was considered as biased and now causing disaffections and hostility among the party top hierarchy in the state. Daily Sun gathered that some party men had averred that the recent comments of the North-West zonal vice Chairman does not reflect the views of the party ethics, as primaries elections have been held in states that have their governorship polls postponed, including Sokoto state.

'We are not trying to counter what our zonal vice chairman had said recently but the fact remains that there would be primaries in Sokoto. There would be a plain ground for all candidates to contest for the governorship ticket of our great party.' In view of the fact that Kazaure declaration for Wamakko, does not go down well among party men, many stakeholders have continued to express their support for both leading candidates, either as an act of political allegiance to the incumbent governor or for any political gains on their part.

Recently, all members of both National and State Houses of Assembly which included some prominent elected members like the Speaker of the House of Representative, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, three elected senators from the state, all House of Representative members as well as the Honourable Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Mohammed Zaiyanu among other 29 state lawmakers signed letters to endorsed Wammakko.

A copy of the endorsement letter dated 21 October, 2011 and obtained by Daily Sun in Sokoto reads in part 'We the entire Honourable members of Sokoto state House of Assembly do solemnly and profoundly wish to express and reaffirm our unaltered loyalty and unflinching solidarity as well as support to the candidature of Governor Aliyu Wamakko for the 2012 governorship election in Sokoto state under the PDP for second tenure.'

Other political groups in support of Wamakko's second term recently, at a press conference despised the growing opposition forces mounting against his second term bid saying that 'the strides recorded in the area of youth development and empowerment will earn him second tenure.' One of the leaders of the group, Alhaji Umar Munalafiya disclosed this in an interview with Daily Sun. He explained that no amount of political calculations or campaign of calumny would detract the electorate from voting for the incumbent governor for second term.

But in a swift reaction, Gada's camp dispelled such purported endorsement as 'empty' and viewed that their decision could be made under political duress explaining that most of the elected members on the party's platform might be facing one threat or the other from the incumbent on their political future. To butter this view, Senator Gada in a chat with Daily Sun said 'it is sad to see some people saying this against me and that shows how political dependent they are. Some of them have taken some decisions under duress and to improve their livelihood. And do not be surprised that some of these people used by my opponents have benefited from my projects one way or the other if you look critically.'

The Senator, however, said he still relied on some of the achievements he made during his four years spell at the senate to garner grassroots support from both his political zone and the state at large. According to Gada, 'This is democracy and anybody that witnessed my solidarity rally in the state will attest to that. Seeing is believing and whoever saw what happened at the rally should now know the direction of things ahead of the party primary election. We are on top of the whole event and we are praying to almighty Allah to help us in salvaging the situation in the state.'

He averred that whoever is coming out to challenge the incumbent is only affirming to the wishes of the people and described the state's institutions as in 'bad shape' because of its leadership. His words' 'The people have suffered enough, and they all know that they have suffered enough because that is the most important thing. They need change, and they know they need the change at all cost. Whoever is coming out for the challenge is only affirming to the wishes of the people in the state. They are ready to make the change through ballots. I am on ground, we have the political structures to challenge the incumbent up to every level and that was what transpired at my rally.'

There are unconfirmed reports that external political forces were secretly working against the second term bid of Governor Wamakko. They alleged that his administration has excluded them from the affairs of the state in the spirit of political tolerance and accommodation. Among the parties that are likely to be involved in the political 'marriage' to dislodge the governor if he eventually picked as PDP candidate are; CPC, DPP, ANPP and ACN.

According to investigations, some of the political leaders of these parties have expressed the need for such alliance, citing the merger of the then ANPP and PDP in the 2007 gubernatorial election that produced Wamakko as its consensus candidate, and went ahead to defeat the much rooted political structure and incumbency power of former Governor Attahiru Bafarawa in the state, as a good example.

'As a politician, I reasoned that one of the certain ways of clinching power from the ruling party come 2012 elections in the state is for all opposing parties to come together and present a common candidate for the governorship seat, if Wamakko eventually emerged as PDP candidate.' Adamu Abdullahi, a grassroots' politician in the state submitted.

The state chairman of the CPC in an interview with Daily Sun however declined to comment on such plans but averred that 'people of Sokoto need change and we owe them a duty to ensure the realization of that change.'

The recent dimension that signals a new chapter of contention within the PDP in Sokoto seems dramatic and unbelievable by all, even as Wamakko's camp is beginning to accept the reality of the growing strengths of opposition within and outside the ruling party.

This facet, however, has opened a new chapter of contentions within the ruling PDP in the State. It's drama and intrigues remain unclear to political watchers in the state ahead of the primary, even as party stakeholders are beginning to accept the reality of the growing strength of opposition both within and outside the ruling party.